"I like to entertain the idea that we live the same lives over and over. This is the thought behind this painting: that we live our lives in these circles, and all of our time will be experienced again."

"She came each day to stand in front of the murder ballad paintings. She had grown up listening to all that music. 'I just stand here,' she told me,.. 'And the paintings pull the marrow from my chest.' ”

"Ultimately, I think the paintings are about the push and pull of predator and prey, and the way we encompass those roles within ourselves. This relates to sex, but also religion and history. The ways we justify or do not justify our own agendas to the world and to ourselves."

"We generally have a limited understanding of the black male nude as an artistic subject. In my practice, painting the figure entails encountering and interrogating the heroizing, idealizing tradition of the nude in Western Art in which black and brown bodies have been objectified and dehumanized. I’m part of a generation of artists picking up this mantel, locating ourselves as artists, models, and subjects, and working to remake what the nude does and how it produces meaning."

Former tattoo artist Lola Gil isn't always pleased with what she sees when she looks around her. Often, in fact, life can be a real "nightmare." But that's where art comes in. Through her fantastical paintings, Gil is able to create not only a refuge for herself but also a safe haven for her fans.

"My paintings are allegorical, but I expect each viewer will bring their own interpretation to a piece. The question one asks depends on the individual interpretation. If it’s a superficial read of literal abuse or abasement, then that is the subject being addressed within the viewer. If there is a more complex interpretation stemming from one’s life experiences, then the piece becomes personal, and asks questions the viewer is interested in answering."